Three people accidentally received a double dose of the Covishield vaccine during the vaccination campaign. For now, no severe reaction was reported and they are in good health. Although they took a double dose of the vaccine, they will have to take the second jab during the second vaccination rollout. The vaccination campaign began on Saturday.
At the beginning of the vaccination campaign, on the 27th of March, two men accidentally received a double dose.
One of them was a 52-year-old monk in Tashichhoeling in Samtse. The monk said he had doubts before going in for the second dose but proceeded since some people during the observation period talked about getting the second dose on the same day. He has hearing difficulty. According to the monk, the incident happened unknowingly.
For now, he said he is in good health. The monk says the vaccine did not have any side effects on him. However, he said he has been psychologically affected by how people on social media and his relatives blamed him for the mistake.
On the same day, a man in Pema Gatshel also took a double dose of the vaccine. According to him, he was asked by the DeSuup on duty at the vaccination post to enter the vaccination room when he was outside after getting the jab. “I was a bit confused and I went inside. My friend who was also with me didn’t say anything. And I asked the nurse if we have to get vaccinated here as well? They said yes, so there was a bit of confusion,” he said. “I could have avoided it by saying that I got the jab, so it was also a mistake on my part.”
On the 29th of March, another man in Zhemgang also received a double dose.
“I am well aware that an individual will receive only one dose and after completing all formalities, I got the first dose and came out and then asked a lady who was standing near the door for the next step, she directed me to another room. So, as soon as I entered the next room, the health official there started to register my details and was asking for my ID card and then gave the second dose. After that only, they came to know I had a double dose of Covidshield,” he said.
He said he should have asked the health official about the second injection, but at that time he thought it was just another injection to ease the reaction of the COVID vaccine. “Now for my mistake, I regret a lot because I took an extra dose which was meant for another person. So, I feel so sorry and sad that I wasted a dose of the vaccine which came all the way from another country.”
After these incidents, the health ministry has been strictly monitoring and escorting people to the designated places. This was to avoid similar confusions. According to the health ministry, people need to take only a shot of the Covishield vaccine. The second dose will be given after eight to 12 weeks.
Meanwhile, more than 423,000 people got vaccinated across the country as of today.
Kelzang Choden
